The Romans

Caesar

Roman Emporer

Punic Wars

Wars fought between the Romans and the Carthaginians

Senate

council - most permanent thing

Colosseum

Amphitheatre/arena built in Rome for entertainment

Gladiator

men who fought in the arena against other men or animals

Forum

A gathering place for the Romans - similar to the Agora for the Greeks

Denarius

common coinage throughout Rome

Toga

worn to show Roman Citizenship - colors show rank/role

Patrician

the rich class of people - extravagent and immoral living

Plebian

working class - given rations of food and free entertainment

Aqueduct

piece of architecture that carries water from the mountain to the city

Legion

large group of Roman military

Mercenaries

paid soldiers

Gravitas

values of discipline, strength, loyalty, honor

Triumvirate

group of 3 leaders

First Triumvirate

Caesar, Crassus, Pompey

Second Triumvirate

Octavian, Antony, Lepidus

Veto

to reject - especially a decision or proposal concerning the law

Stoicism

Control your emotions

Epicureanism

Live it up (Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you die)

Myth for the “beginning of Rome”

Mars had an affair with Rhea, had twins, Romulus and Remus, evil uncle sent them down the Tiber R., found and nursed by she-wolf,found and raised by shepherd, Romulus kills Remus during a fight over a hill where Rome would then be built

First Punic War

Rome vs. Carthage - fought over Sicily, Carthage lost, couldnt pay mercenaries

Second Punic War

Hannibal, battle of Cannae, “suprise attack”

Third Punic War

defiance of peace terms, seige for 3 years,

Julius Caesar

became Consul, fought the Gauls, people loved him, senators were jealous, “veni, vidi, vici”, stabbed 23 times (killed) on the ides of march (march 15, 44 BC)

Caesar Augustus (Octavian)

end of republic, becomes sole ruler of rome, first caesar in pax romana, appeared to live a simple and frugal life - did not, set up a stable gov., “i found rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble”

Tiberias

Julio-Claudian Caesar #1 (after Octavian) - Caesar when Jesus dies, “sick/demented” pedophile - died of unnatural causes

Caligula

Julio-Claudian Caesar #2 - wanted horse in the senate (marble stall) - mentally disturbed - “Little Boots” - died of unnatural causes

Claudius

Julio-Claudian Caesar #3 - shy, slow thinker (good) - killed by his wife, the mother of Nero

Nero

Julio-Claudian Caesar #4 - Crazy, persecuted Christains, burning of Rome, killed Peter/Paul, killed relatives/rivals to the throne, died of unnatural causes

Vespatian

Flavian Caesar #1 - excellent ruler, ordered the destruction of Jerusalem

Titus

Flavian Caesar #2 - short reign, died early death (unnatural - sickness?) - Mt. Vesuvius erupts & Pompeii is covered, led attack on Jerusalem, Coliseum is completed - nickname “Golden Boy”

Domitian

Flavian Caesar #3 - Hated by the people, died of unnatural causes

Nerva

Five Good Emporers #1 - elderly, gentle senator, chose Trajan as successor

Trajan

Five Good Emporers #2 - first “non-Roman” emporer (spanish), empire reaches largest extent, persecuted Christans - offensive (war)

Hadrian

Five Good Emporers #3 - Trajan’s cousin, “defensive” Caesar, Hadrian’s wall, hairstyle

Antonius

Five Good Emporers #4 - Reaped the peace/security of Trajan/Hadrian

Marcus Aurelius

Five Good Emporers #5 - war/disease shatter empire, wrote meditations (stoic), Commodus (son)

Diocletian

controlled inflation - fixed prices, gave $ to farmers to stay on their worn out land, restored prestige to office, brought back old religion, Catacombs (fish - Jesus), divided empire into E&W

Constantine

Vision of the cross, made Christianity official religon of empire, moved capital - named city after himself, E empire more prosperous/powerful, Nicene Creed in 325 AD

753 BC

founding of Rome

509 BC

Rome becomes a republic

44 BC

Julius Caesar was killed - ides of march

0 BC/AD

Jesus’ Birth

27-180 AD

the length of the Pax Romana

64 AD

Burning of Rome

79 AD

mount vesuvius erupts - pompeii is covered

325 AD

Nicene Creed creation

476 AD

the fall of Rome

Entertainment

gladiator fighting, gambling, chariot racing, baths

Decay #1

Economic decay - dangerous trade routes, sharp decline in agriculture (worn out soil)

Decay #2

Military Decay - barbarians & mercenaries replaced romans in army, loyalty became questionable (soldiers could buy their way out)

Decay #3

political decay - holding office was expensive and burdensome, military interference (50 generals in 50 years)

Huns

led by Attila, met with pope, huns leave ( meeting is a mystery)

Germans

defeated western half of rome in 476 AD